


Started From the Top

by Pennatus



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: And a little bit of angst at the end, Family, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Gen, Humor, Pre-Canon, Voltron Secret Valentine 2017, older sister Pidge (Katie in this case), snapshots of life style, younger brother Lance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-09-25 17:56:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9836345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pennatus/pseuds/Pennatus
Summary: Katie didn't like the little brother that was introduced to her life, but he's family, and no one messes with her family. (Except her.)A series of stories about growing up in the Holt household.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Sure you’ve heard of  
> Older brother shiro  
> And older brother lance  
> But what about  
> Older sister Pidge
> 
> Dedicated to my voltron secret valentine, [mettamitch](http://mettamitch.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> Check out the [Voltron Secret Valentine 2017 tumblr](https://voltronsecretvalentine.tumblr.com/)!

Katie wrinkled her nose at the toddler, who giggled in response.

  
“What is this,” she asked in a flat voice.

  
Matt hoisted the child further up in his arms. “This is Lance. You knew he was coming home today,” he reminded her gently, smiling down at the brunette in his arms.

  
Katie crossed her arms tightly and scowled at the floor. Of course she knew. They’d been working on the room for weeks now, and weird people had been coming in and out of the house for longer, asking her all sorts of questions. She’d hated it all and now she hated the squirming child that was going to actually be in that room.

  
“Well I don’t like him,” she informed her older brother, tipping her head up defiantly. “I don’t see why we need him.”

  
Her father, coming up from the car with a box in his arms and catching the tail end of the conversation, sighed. He put the box down and turned Katie toward him with a hand on her shoulder.

  
“We’ve talked about this, Katie,” he reprimanded, the gentle look in his eyes preventing his words from being cutting. “He needs us. And do you think it’s right to not help someone in need?”

  
“No…” Katie mumbled.

  
He drew her in for a hug. “I know it’s hard, sweetie. It’s a big change to our family. But there’s plenty of love to go around, and you will always be our little girl.” He kissed her on the forehead. “You’re going to be Lance’s big sister, you know. Just like Matt looks over you, you have to look over Lance. That’s part of being a big sibling.”

  
“Does that mean I get to boss him around them?” Katie asked primly and both Matt and her father laughed.

  
“Someday, maybe,” her father said fondly, ruffling her hair.

\--

“Why do you like him so much,” Katie complained as her brother settled the toddler down in his crib.

  
“Well…” Matt took a moment to think as he tucked the blankets in closer around Lance. “I guess he reminds me of you, when you were younger.”

  
“I’m not even that old!” Katie pointed out, crossing her arms.

  
“Yes, yes,” Matt chuckled as her knelt next to her. “Just old enough to be annoying, right?”

  
“You’re annoying!” Katie informed him and got trapped in a headlock for her trouble.

  
“Maybe it’s older sibling instinct,” Matt reflected as Katie gnawed ineffectually at his arm. “I see a troublesome little kid and I immediately like them.”

  
She paused in her actions to pout. “I don’t feel like that about him,” she mumbled.

  
He ruffled her hair. “I’m not saying you have to like him right away, or even ever really, although I hope you will. I’m just saying that he’s family and families protect each other. Maybe you’ll understand when you’re older.”

  
“Whatever!” Katie finally broke free and turned to face her brother with her hands on her hips. “I get it! I’m not saying I’d let anything happen to him or something. I’m just saying I don’t like him like you do!”

  
Matt chuckled. “Got it.”

 

\--

Katie was used to Lance sitting beside her, chattering away at a rate that still amazed her or begging for her help with his super easy homework. But this time he sat on her bed, curled up in a ball away from her view.

  
She was still reading the textbook in front of her, but to her surprise, the silence was beginning to get to her. Maybe you really could get used to anything. Sighing, she snapped it shut and turned to the bed.

  
“Are you sick?” Katie asked without preamble. “You know you have to talk to mom or dad if you’re sick. If you get all of us sick again I’ll never forgive you.”

  
“You said that last time,” Lance said to her bedsheets.

  
“Well, that’s because I still haven’t forgiven you, obviously.” She rolled her eyes. “You think I can’t hold multiple grudges?”

  
Surprisingly, Lance didn’t respond, just made a noncommittal sound. Katie sighed, tapping her finger on the textbook.

  
“Ok, seriously, if you are gonna sulk go to Matt’s room.”

  
That got Lance to stir and roll around, putting his hands in front of his eyes. “…I don’t want to talk to Matt.”  
That got her attention. “Why not?”

  
Lance was quiet for a long moment. Katie found her foot tapping impatiently on the floor, unused to long silences from her little brother.

  
“What is it?” she finally asked.

  
Lance rolled further, once again putting his face into her bed. “I’m…I’m your little brother, right?”

  
She snorted. “Unfortunately.”

  
“Because…someone said that…I didn’t look like you, or Matt, so I couldn’t be related to you.”

  
Katie absorbed that, blinking in surprise. “Who said that?” was her automatic question.

  
Lance shrugged, still not looking up.

  
She sighed. “You know, it’s still better to talk to Matt about this…”

  
When she didn’t get an answer, she scratched her arm, feeling awkward. “That’s a stupid question, anyways. It’s not that you have to look like someone to be – to be family to them.”

  
Lance finally peaked over at her and she looked into his bloodshot eyes. “…really?”

  
She took this as a queue to walk over to her bed and sit squarely on his back. As he squirmed underneath her she said, “Let’s be real, do you think I’d put up with you if I didn’t have to? It doesn’t matter what you look like, all that matters is that you’re family. Don’t listen to what other idiots have to say.” She shoved his face into the blanket. “All right?”

  
“Ugh, fine!” came Lance’s response, muffled by the fabric. “Let me up!”

  
“I don’t know if I should. I still haven’t forgiven you for getting me sick.”

  
“That was like two weeks ago!”

  
Katie was proud of how far her evil cackle had come. “Revenge is a dish best served cold.”

  
Lance struggled for a moment, the side of his face looking up at her. “Um, Katie…thanks.” He smiled.

  
She shoved his face back down. “Yeah, whatever.”

\--

"Why exactly are we doing this," Katie asked, shivering in the cold.

  
The sun was disappearing into the horizon, leaving the snow around them sparkling in the golden light. Snow was piled around the house, in strategic hills next to the driveway and sidewalk.

  
"Because," Lance replied, crossing his arms and pretending he wasn't shaking, "this is the way to have an epic adventure. And," he added at Katie's suspicious eyebrow, "John dared me."

  
"Oh my god, seriously?”

  
“Unlike you I take dares very seriously,” Lance announced haughtily.

  
“Yeah because you’re an idiot.”

  
“Whatever, I’ll be the coolest once I pull this off.”

  
“That’s for sure, not only from the snow but dad will ground you for life.”

  
“Worth it,” Lance declared vehemently, edging towards the lip of the roof.

  
Katie pulled out her phone. She couldn’t feel her fingertips, but that wasn’t about to stop her from recording the best ten seconds of her life. “Ready when you are.”  
Lance jumped. He missed the snow drift.

  
Their dad grounded both of them.

  
When she uploaded the video to youtube, it got over 10000 views. She considered it all worth it.

\--

L-rizzle >> KATIE I NEED HELP  
pidgeon >> I am not doing your homework  
pidgeon >> or your chores  
pidgeon >> or covering for you with mom and dad  
pidgeon >> or buying you food  
pidgeon >> or candy  
pidgeon >> or video games  
pidgeon >> or doing anything for you ever again since you ruined my project  
L-rizzle >> I told u that was a ACIDENT >:(  
L-rizzle >> y u always gotten hold this stuff over me :'(  
L-rizzle >> anyways thats not what I wanna ask  
L-rizzle >> I have this super crush on a girl and I need your help  
pidgeon >> what? Good for you?  
L-rizzle >> KATIE!!!! How do I woo her????  
pidgeon >> first of all what century do you live in  
pidgeon >> second of all why are you coming to me for advice?  
L-rizzle >> you're like the only girl I know!  
pidgeon >> whatever you have tons of female friends  
pidgeon >> note I didn't say girlfriend  
pidgeon >> because you don't have any of those  
L-rizzle >> OMG stop being so mean!!!!  
L-rizzle >> besides I feel weird asking anyone else  
L-rizzle >> you're like my go 2 gurl  
pidgeon >> that does not in any way make me feel better  
pidgeon >> in fact that's kind of gross  
L-rizzle >> what! It's a sign of faith  
L-rizzle >> I'm complimenting you  
pidgeon >> buttering me up isn't helping your cause, it's just making me suspicious  
L-rizzle >> y!!! I already told u what I need c'mon  
pidgeon >> you haven't even asked politely  
L-rizzle >> please!!!!! C'moooooooooon  
pidgeon >> now we know you can be polite  
pidgeon >> also I'm still not helping you  
pidgeon >> I'm not even sure what you think I can do  
L-rizzle >> tell me about girl stuff  
L-rizzle >> like what do they like  
pidgeon >> are you serious  
L-rizzle >> yes!!! Help me  
pidgeon >> oh my god you are such a loser  
L-rizzle >> y u gotta be so mean :(  
pidgeon >> it's not like all girls are the same idiot  
pidgeon >> they all like different things  
pidgeon >> you can't just ask one and expect them all to be the same  
pidgeon >> do you like the same thing all guys like?  
L-rizzle >> ok I get it!!! I was just asking for advice sheesh  
pidgeon >> well try being less sexist  
pidgeon >> and maybe just talking to them like a human being  
L-rizzle >> what do I say  
pidgeon >> try saying hello that usually is pretty accepted  
pidgeon >> then ask them what they like  
pidgeon >> then go ask Matt for advice because I'm done with this conversation  
L-rizzle >> hey wait we're finally getting somewhere don't bail on me  
L-rizzle >> Katie  
L-rizzle >> Katie???  
L-rizzle >> you suck  
L-rizzle >> I hate you  
L-rizzle >> if I never get a girlfriend you're totally to blame

\--

“He’s…” Lance’s voice broke, his eyes filling with tears. Even over the distortion and low quality of the video call, he looked miserable, cheeks sallow and bags underneath his eyes even though it couldn’t have been more than a week. “He’s gone.”

  
Katie swallowed thickly. “I – I know. I saw the news…why didn’t you call me earlier?”

  
Lance rubbed at his eyes. “They wouldn’t let me. They didn’t want anyone to know until they released it. So I just…I’m sorry, I can’t…” He pressed he hands into his eyes.

  
Katie stared at the screen, watched as Lance’s shoulders shook, watched as he tried and failed to rub the tears out of his eyes. Watched as Lance clutched his face in his hands and blabbed on about why, and how, and that he didn’t know any more details than what the Garrison had released to the public. Watched as Lance looked up, stared into Katie’s eyes, and asked with despair in his tone, “What do we do, Katie?”

  
She looked back at him, at the exhaustion and sadness in his eyes, and something in her hardened. She took a long, slow breath in, and said, “We find out what happened, Lance. And we find Matt.”

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my [tumblr](http://kat-disturbed.tumblr.com/) for voltron, FFXV, and cats


End file.
